Ukraine working to allow army service for convicts

Allowing Ukrainian convicts to serve in the military came a step closer on Wednesday. Lawmakers approved a first reading of a bill designed to help replenish and rotate troops exhausted after two years of war with Russia.

The bill envisages prisoners who join the army becoming eligible for parole.

Those convicted of crimes against humanity, sexual violence, murder, or crimes against national security would not be allowed to serve, lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko said on Telegram.

A separate bill setting out large fines for citizens who fail to abide by mobilization rules was also passed in a first reading.

It is not clear how many extra personnel would be eligible to join the military if the steps become law.

The convicts bill is likely to see changes before the final reading to eliminate the risk of corruption, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak said. No date has been set for the final reading after it is further discussed by a committee of lawmakers.

Kyiv troops have been fighting against the better-equipped Russian military, which has vast mobilization potential, since the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukraine’s parliament has also started reviewing the final reading of a complex bill amending the army mobilization process after months of criticism and discussions, with a vote on that expected on Thursday.

It is expected to widen Kyiv’s capability to call up new servicemen amid significantly fewer volunteer fighters and numerous cases of draft evasion as the war has dragged on.

(Reuters)